Rumor has the next S will be offered only with a long wheelbase.

Ever since its inception many decades ago, the S-Class has also been at the forefront of Mercedes’ technological developments and it should be a similar story with the upcoming W223. Even the CLA, the company’s former entry-level sedan, comes loaded with tech for its second generation, prompting the Daimler company to introduce the swoopy sedan at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The fullsize luxury sedan has been caught on camera once again by our spies, and as you can see in the video above, we’re dealing with more than just one prototype. All of them are carrying a lot of camouflage to hide what could be the production body, although the headlights and taillights do not seem to be the final setups.

Spied inside and out:

As previously reported, customers might not be able to pick between two different wheelbase lengths for the all-new Mercedes-badged S-Class. That’s because Mercedes will allegedly drop the standard wheelbase variant and offer its crown jewel of the range exclusively in LWB flavor. Why? Because the E-Class keeps getting bigger and bigger and there’s a risk it might overlap with the standard S-Class. The E-Class certainly won’t be enlarged for its upcoming mid-cycle facelift, but the next-gen car could grow and there’s a risk it might clash with the regular S-Class.

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With the risk of sounding like a broken record, we are still curious about what’s going on with the door handles as Mercedes continues to apply multiple layers of camouflage. These stick out like a sore thumb, but that’s obviously not the final setup. At the front, the disguise for the grille looks a bit odd because the center holds the radars and sensors that will play an important role in the already confirmed Level 3 semi-autonomous driving system the new S will feature.

Inside, the S-Class will likely get an evolution of Mercedes’ new MBUX infotainment system, along with all the onboard technologies you could possibly imagine in a production car. Better packaging could free up more room inside beyond the aforementioned LWB-only configuration, while the longer Maybach-badged S is expected to boast a “next-level” suspension offering utmost comfort.

We've spotted the new S before:

There’s no word about the engines just yet, but a fully electric equivalent is in the works as the flagship of Mercedes’ new EQ family of zero-emissions vehicles. Likely called EQ S, the vehicle won’t be an S-Class turned electric, but a car developed from the ground up as an EV riding on the MEA2 platform tailored to EVs.

Meanwhile, the conventionally powered S-Class will debut at some point in 2020 and is going to be assembled at the company’s new state-of-the-art Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, Germany where high-end EQ models will also come to life.